Art of producing gypsum blocks



June 16, 1925. 1,542,601

O. E. BORNHAUSER ET AL ART 0F PRODUGING GYPSUM BLOCKS Filed June 5, 1924l 2 Sheets-Sheet l INveNoRs.'

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-fils /Hk Yneqy "June16, 1925. 1,542,601

` o. E. BoRNHAUsER ET A1.

ART OF PRODUCING GYPSUM BLOCKS I/v'e/vroks: am E. fam' "WM www PatentedJune 16, 1925.l

l UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE.

OTTO E. BORNHAUSER AND vJOHN EDWARD HERMAN, OF SANDUSKY, OHIO.

ART OF PRODUCING GYPSUM BLOCKS.

Application led .Tune 5,

To all'wlwmc't may concern.' Be it known that we, O'rro E. BORN- HAUSEP.and JOHN EDWARD HERMAN, citizens of the United States, residing atSandusky, in the county of Erie and State of Ohio, haveinvented new anduseful Improvements in the Art of Producing Gypsum Blocks, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates t0 improvements in the art of producing gypsumblocks, and pertains more especially to the production of an improvedgypsum block made from a suitably worked mixture comprising calcinedgypsum and water or liquid andpreferably also, but not necessarily,binding material. One object of this invention is to produce gypsumblocks which are stronger and more durable that gypsum blocks heretoforemade.

Another object is to facilitate the manufacture of gypsum blocks and togreatly enlarge their production per mold used in making said blocks.

. Another object is to produce gypsum blocks having greater ability tohinder the passage of sound `therethrough than gypsum productsheretofore made.

Another object is 'to produce gypsum blocks which have adequately setand, without .liability of injury to the block are safely handleableas-'soon as they have been formed, and do not have to be laid aside forsetting and drying preparatory to shipment or transportation.

With these objects in view, and to attain other objects hereinafterappearing, this invention consists in the hereinafter described andclaimed improvements in the art of making gypsum blocks.

Apparatus comprising a mold suitable for use in receiving a moldablemass or body to be molded into the improved gypsum' block to be producedby our improved process is illustrated in the accompanying drawings inwhich Figure 1 is a central vertical longie tudinal section and showssaid mold as charged with said mass or body and as comprising a moveableplunger disposed to form an upright wall of the material-receivinginterior chamber of the mold and moveable toward and from the oppositevertically withdrawable upright wallof said chamber. Figs. .2 and 3 arehorizontal sections taken along the line 2^-2 and line 3-3 respectivelyin Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section taken along the line4-#4 `in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a verticalv section cor- Y said inlet.

1924. serial No. 718,004.

vresponding with Fig. 1, except that in Fig. 5'

mass or body in the mold, and a block is A shown as having been formed,and also a cut-olf or valve, controlling the supply of material to theaforesaid chamber, is shown in its closed position in Fig. 5, whereassaid valve is shown in its open osition in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a verticalsection substantially corresponding with Fig. 5, except that in Fig. 6the hereinbefore mentioned vertically withdrawable wall of the mold hasbeen removed to permit the block shown .formed in Figs. 5 and 6 to beremoved from the mold by the hereinbefore mentioned plunger onto anendless conveyor. Fig. 7 is a vertical section corresponding with Fig.6, except that'in Fig. 7A the plunger is shown as having been moved farenough forwardly to remove the tblock from the mold onto said conveyor.Figs. 8 and 9 are transverse vertical sections taken'along the line 8-8and line 9 9 respectively in Fig. 7. Portions are broken' away in thedrawings to top 16 provided over one end portion of the chamber 15 withan opening 17 forming the inlet Aof said chamber for material to be fedor forced at said inlet into said chamber, and 18 indicates the lowerend ortion of a hopper which extends and disc arges into In said hopperthe materials or substances Supplied thereto are massed and worked andmixed in any approved manner, and the hereinafter described moldablemass or body to be produced in said hopper is made by mixing andkneading or working calcined gypsum, water or liquid, and'bindingmaterial or solid matter other than gypsum,'and.material is forced orfed intermittently from said hopper in any approved manner.

The chamber 15 is rectangular inhoriand rests on the topedges of saidwalls and is removably secured to said walls by bolts or screws 20, asshown in Figs.- 2 and9.

One of the side walls 19 is preferably formed integral with the moldbottom-10, and the otherbf said walls preferably consists of asubstantially vertical metal plate provided at its outer side with lugs19" restin on the table and removably secured by lts or screws 19b tosaid table. A

At the lower and discharging nd ofthe inlet 17 (see Figs. 1, 5, 6, 7 and-8) is provided a cut-R21 for controlling communiplunger extends betweenthe side walls 19.

of the mold-chamber 15 and is movable horizontally andendwise of themold and comprises a stem' 254 which extends rearwardly from the rearside of the plunger-body 23 to and loosely through a standard 26 withvwhich thetable 11 is provided. The relative arrangement of the parts issuch, that the plunger, in its rearward and normal positionshown in Fig.1, is arranged between the flange 22 of the mold-top 16 and the inletl17 of the chamber 15 and abuts at the.

` rear side df its body 23 against said flange.

proved gypsum block 31 shown' asfformedv We would here remark that insaid position of said plunger a predetermined supply of cementitiousnon-pourable materialV is forced or fed, in advance of the ace f theplunger, from the hopper into d chamber, and 27 indicates a moldablemass or 'body snppliedto said chamber fromsaid'ho per and requiringpressure thereon to mol o r shape it into the block to formed in ltheUpon suppl ing the mold-chamber 15 with the molda le gypsum body 27shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the plunger, fprming one end wall of the chamber15 as hereinhefore indicated is actuated forwardly toward ,the upwardlyremovable opposite end wall 29 -of said chamber and to the osition'shown in solid lines in Fig. 5 in whichthe face of the plunger issomewhat forward of the inlet .17 of said chamber. Said plunger isadapted, during its -movement from the position shown. in Figs. 1 and 3into the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 5, to exert thehereinafter describedpressure on the moldable body 27 shown within themold-chamber 15 in Figs. 1 and` 3, and to form the imin saidA chamber inFig. 5 between the end wall formed by the plunger and the opposite andremovable end wall 29 of said chamber.

The last-'mentioned or removable end wall` 2 9 of the mold-chamber 15normally is in its lowerpositionand rests on the table 11, as shown-'1nFigs. 1 and 5, and engages vertical slideways 30 formed in the top 16and at the'inner sides of the side walls 19 of the mold,.as'shown inFigs. 1', 2 and-3, and extends loosely through and above said to 16.

The plunger, after movement thereof om the sition shown in Figs. 1 and 3into the posi ion shown in solid lines in Fig. 5 to form the block 31,is preferably moved slightly rearwardly into the position shown in Fig.6 and in broken lines at 32 in Fig. 5, to readily permit withdrawal ofthe vertically movable wall 29, whereupon said wall is removed upwardlyfrom the mold in any aproved manner, and thereupon the plunger isactuatedv forwardly into the position shown in Fig. 7 to remove theblock 31 from the mold. The plunger, during its movement from theposition shown in Fig. 6 into the position shown in Fig. 7, removes theblock 31 from the mold onto an endless belt or eonveyer 33 arrangedtoreceive said block. The application and operation of endless conveyersand lthe operation of plurigers are so well known by mechanicalengineers that further description and illustration, in thisspecification, of the construction and operation of the plunger, andconveyer of the hereinbefore described apparatus are not consideredneceary. Upon reference to Figs. 7 and 8 it will'be observed that thevalve-forming plate 21 is large enough in dimensions to close the lowerand discharging end of the inlet 17 of the moldchamber 15 in the extremeforward position of the plunger. n

We are aware that heretofore psum blocks have been made from materialproduced by mixing calcined gypsum with enough water to produce aApourable semifluid'mass and then pouring said mass into molds placedaside to permit the poured ma- "terial to set and, also, that gypsumblocks have been made by mixing calcined gypsum with enough water toobtain a pouring fluidity and pouring the mass into molds in which thevmaterial was allowed to partially set, and the partially set blocks wereremoved from the molds before the completion of the setting of theblocks.

Our improved process preferably com- 'prises the mixing, mithin thehereinbefore mentioned hopper, of solid matter consisting largely ofcalcined gypsum with water or liquid the quantity of which is greater tosuch an extent than the amount of liquid required for moistening thesolid mattei' other than said calcined gypsum that rtihe amount ofliquid in excessofthe liquid for said moistening is neither over aboutone and one-half times non appreciably less than the amount of water ofcrystallization in the raw gypsum used in producing said calcinedgypsum, so as to produce a non-pourable mass highly suitable for makinggypsum blocks. Preferably the mixture or mass produced Within saidhopper consists of calcined gypsum, Water or liquid and other suitablesolid material such, for instance, as ashes or vegetable liber, servingas a binder. Sawdust and wood shavings constitute suitable vegetablefibrous material. Ashes and vegetable fibrous material have -the abilityto absorb or hold liquid. 'The quant-ity of water or liquid used for theproduction of a moldable mass or body comprising calcined gypsum and aliquid-absorbing binding material is to suchan extent greater than theamount of liquid required for V'just satisfying the liquid-absorbingcapacity of said binding material that the quantity of liquid in excessof the liquid required for the liquid-absorbing capacity of said bindingmaterial shall be not over one 1 and one-half times and not appreciablyless than the amount of Water of crystallization in the raw gypsum usedin producing said calc-ined gypsum. VVewould remark that a highlydesirably non-pourable mixture of4 calcined gypsum, binding materialorsolid matter other than calcined gypsum, and Water or liquid, isobtained by having the quantity of water or liquid used in producingsaid mixture greater to suchy an extent than the amount of liquidrequired for the liquid-absorbing capacity or moistening of the so-lidmaterial other than calcined gypsum that the quantity of liquid inexcess of the liquid required'v for said liquid-absorbing capacity ormolistening shall be from fore mentioned plunger to the mold-chamber'about one and one-fourth to about one and one-third times the amount ofwater of crystallization in the raw gypsum.

The mixture or mass of calcined gypsum, water or liquid and bindingmaterial or solid matter other than gypsum, is Worked and preferablykneaded in any approved manner' within the hereinbefore mentioned hopperto thoroughly mix or intimately associate the constituentsmfof and forma nonpourable mass having such a consistency that pressure on anylportion of said mass is required to mold said portion into the form ofa building block.

The amount or portion 27 of said mass, shown supplied in advance ofthehereinbe- 15`in Figl 1, is placed, by said plunger during the movementof the plunger fromv the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 into theposition shown in solid lines in Fig. 5, under the pressure required tocause the moldable body of material supplied to said chamber/to fillevery portion of said chamber between dred and fty pounds per squalreinch of the face of the plunger, and the resulting gypsum block, formedby and within the mold, will be found to be remarkably strong anddurable and to have great ability to hinder the passage of soundtherethrough, and

furthermore said block will be found to have so adequately set duringits formation that the block is safely handleable, as soon as it hasbeen formed, without necessitating the laying of the block aside forsetting and drying preparatory to shipment or transportation. i

We would here remark that preferably during the formation of a block byand within the mold and during the removal of the block from the mold,just enough mixture is prepared in the hereinbefore mentioned hopper forone charge of the mold, and that the mold is again charged as soon asthe plunger has been returned into its rearward and normal positionshown in Figs. 1 and 3 from the position shown in Fig. 7

VVha-t We claim is l 1. In the art of making gypsum blocks a processcomprising the mixing of soli matter consisting largely of calcinedgypsum with water or liquid the quantity of which is greater to such anextent than the amount of liquid required for moistenin the solid matterother than said calcine gypsum that the amount of liquid in excess ofthe liquid required for said moistening shall be not over about one andone-half times and not appreciably le than the amount of Water ofcrystallization in the raw gypsum used in producing said calc-inedgypsum and thereby producing a nonpourable mass, then Supplying apredetermined amount of the mixture from said mass to the interiorchamber of a mold for forming the desired block, and then exertingpressure on the body of material supplied to the mold and therebycompleting the formation of said block.

2. In the art of making blocks of the character indicated, a processconsisting in mixing calcined gypsum and liquid-absorbing bindingmaterial with water or liquid theY quantity of which is greater to suchan exsaid bin ing material that the amount of interior c .sumusediniiquia iii 'excess 40i the. liquid foinor appreciably less than theamount of water of stallization in the raw gypsum used in pro ucing saidcalcined gypsum and thereby producing a non-pourable mass, then supplyina portion of said mass to the r of a mold for forming the desired block,and then exerting pressureon the body of material supplied to the moldand thereby completing the formation of said block.

3. In the art of making blocks of the char- .actor` indicated, a processcomprising the mixing of solid matter consisting largelyv of calcinedgypsum with water or liquid the quantity of which isgreater to such anextent than the amount of liquid required for -moistening the solidmatter other than said calcined gypsum that the amount of liquidinexcess of the liquid required for said moistenin shall be not over aboutone. and one-half times but eater than the amount of water ofcrystallgi.

producing said calcined gypsum anll there y'producing a. nofn-piurableAm t en su 1 a ortion o sai mass JB inierioiilapiap ing the desiredblock, and then exerting pressure on the body of material supplied tothe mold andA therebyV completing the formation ofsaid block.

4. In the art of making blocks of the character indicated, a processconsisting in mixing solid matter consisting largely of calcined gypsumwith water or liquid the quantity of which is greater to such an extentthat the amount of liquirequired for moistening` the solid matter o erthansaid calcined gypsum that the amount of liquid in excess of theliquid required for said moistening shall be from about one andonefourth to about one and one-third times the amount o water ofcrystallization in the raw gypsum used in producing said calcined gypsumand thereby producing a nonpourable mass, then supplying a portion ofsaid mass to the interior chamber oi a mold for forming the desiredblock, and then exerting pressure on the body oi material supplied tethe mold and thereby completing the formation or" said block.

5. In the art of producing gypsum blocks ci the character indicated, aprocess consistzation in the raw gyp of a mold for form` in supplyingthe interiorchamber of the .I

mold with a non-pourable moist mixture `which consistslargely of'calcined gypsum and constitutes a m`o1dable bodyhaving a consistencyrequiring pressure thereon or nlizlding or shaping said body, and thenexe mg compose said block, of a pressure of at least r toward the otherpressure on the body of material supphed toithe mold and therebycompleting twenty-five pounds per squareinch of` the A faceof saidplunger.

7. In the m of producing blocks of are character indicated, a processconsisting 1n supplying a non-pourable moist mixture comprising calcinedgtypsum in advance of a plunger employed in ormng one of two opposite.walls of the interior chamber of a mold adapted, to completely enca'sethe block to be formed by and within the mold, and

vthen actuating said plunger toward the other of said walls and therebyeifectin the exertion, on the body of material a apted to compose saidblock, of a pressure considerably greater 4than twenty-live pounds persquare inch of the face of said plunger.

8. In the art of producing blocks of the character indicated, a processconsisting in supplying a' non-pourable moist mixture comprisingcalcined gypsum in advance of a plunger employed in orminglone of twoopposite wallsof the interior c amber of a mold-which is 'adapted tocompletely encase the block to be formed, and then actuating saidplunger toward the other of said walls and there y eecting the exertion,on the body of material adapted to compose said block, of a pressure ofabout one hundred and nity pounds per square inch of the ace of saidplunger.

In testimony whereof, we sign the foregoing specication. Y

@ITO E. BORNHAUSER.

mi EDWARD HERMAN.

NIJ

